Junior Year Box Set

“Plus, we can do movies together. We’re doing the Star Academy movies. We could clean up doing romantic comedies. I can be your Emma Stone, and you can be my Ryan Gosling. We’re both starting to get into this business, and I can’t think of anyone I would rather do it with. I can see us taking over Hollywood,” she said.

I liked the sound of that. She was right. Whether it was football, baseball, or movies, I would need someone who understood the time commitments. Halle had watched her mother and had seen everything she had to give up to be a success. I was sure the two of us could take on the world. There weren’t many who would put up with me being gone for months at a time.

The truth was, I could see us making it for the long haul.

“I don’t know about being Ryan Gosling. And I would rather spend time with you than Emma Stone. But I understand what you’re saying. I would be fine with you leaving to do a movie. We would just have to figure out how we could get together.”

She did a little bounce and clapped her hands.

“I was so afraid you’d pick someone else because of that. Come here, you big goof, and let me show you how much I appreciate you.”

There were benefits to this process. The problem was that I was more confused than ever. Halle made a persuasive case that simply couldn’t be ignored, and it had nothing to do with making movies.

◊◊◊ Saturday August 13

Most everyone returned home today. In fact, it would be easier to count the ones who stayed: Mom and Dad, Brook, Halle, Zoe, Pam, Tracy, Beth, and Caryn. Caryn had arranged a charter to take the rest of them back.

Tim and Wolf had called and gotten permission to miss a few days of two-a-days to come to watch me play. They’d get a full week of practice in next week, and then school would start. I’d be back for the first day of school. I really didn’t mind that I would miss the grind of two-a-days.

Speaking of football, Bud Mason had arrived at Lincoln High and was working with the offense. I talked to some of the guys on the team, and they said that Coach Hope had pretty much turned the offense over to him. I thought that was a smart choice since Bud had more coaching experience than probably our whole staff combined.

Bud hadn’t forgotten about me. He sent me new plays and videos of how he wanted them run. I planned to work with my teammates who were here to practice them. I admit I was starting to get the football bug. Baseball was my first love, but I could hardly wait to get back and help defend our State Championship.

After breakfast, I took the elevator down to the lobby so I could load onto the bus for practice. It hadn’t arrived yet, so we were milling around, just goofing off, when in walked a group of twelve girls. They looked like they’d come for walk-on roles in the Spanish version of Baywatch.

I admit they had my full attention for a moment. But the morning’s entertainment, for me anyway, was watching my teammates. Half of them had their tongues hanging out, and the other half tried to hide. If you’ve ever watched a Mexican soap opera, you’ve seen what I was talking about. Gorgeous; long, dark hair; flawless features; ginormous ta-tas, and curvy hips.

I smiled when the coaching staff came out of their meeting to join us and froze where they stood. These girls had to know that every male in the place was staring at them.

I’d drawn Chuck and Nicki as my bodyguards today.

“Would you like me to see if I can get you dates?” I asked.

Nicki actually cracked a smile.

“If I were twenty years younger,” he explained.

“Uh, sure,” Chuck said.

I grabbed his arm and almost had to drag him with me when he figured out I was going to talk to them. He must not have known about my special ability to speak with beautiful women.

“Hi, my friend thinks you’re all cute and wanted to know if any of you would go to dinner with him tonight?” I asked in Spanish.

They all looked at each other, and from their expressions, it seemed they were impressed that I’d come up to talk to them. Either that or I’d butchered my Spanish and said something that didn’t make sense.

“What’s your friend’s name?” one of them asked in English.

“Chuck. He’s a Virgo, likes to dance, and is looking for a no-strings enjoyable time.”

They all looked at me and then Chuck. He really needed to learn how to negotiate. The first rule in a situation like this was the one who talked first lost.

“I, uh … I, uh … I mean … uh …” he stammered, and then promptly turned around and made a hasty retreat.

“What about you? Are you looking for, what did he call it?”

“An enjoyable time,” one of them helped.

“I have enough women to keep me busy; I don’t need to add any right now. But I’m sure I could introduce you to some guys who would like to hang out with you,” I suggested.

Coach Kingwood showed up.

“Come on, Romeo. The bus is here,” he told me.